Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-12-27
STRANGE IMPULSES.
Unaccountabie Actions Committed by
Seemingly Sane Persons.

Unaccountable Actions Committed by
Seemingly Sane Persons.
A very unaccountable outrage is re-
corded of Charles Matthews. He had
lived for some days very restless and
inactive life. In this state of mind a
party of gentlemen called upon him
and proposed days excursion. "My
husbands depressed spirits, says Mrs.
Matthews, "were exhilarated by the
beauty of the weather and the prospect
of days pleasure in the open air.
He had not ridden out of the city for
some weeks, and was in q state OF
childish delight and excitement. AT
this moment his eyes turned on one OF
the party, very little man, who was
perched on very tall horse. and who
seemed unusually grand and impor-
tant. Mr.. Matthews looked at him for
a moment, and the next knocked him
off with a smart blow, telling him to
the ground. The whole party was
struck with horror, but no one felt
more shocked than he who had com
United the outrage. He dismounted,
picked up the little victim, and de-
clared himself unable to give any mo-
tive for the action, blA that it was an
impulse he could not resist"
A laborer in Paris returning home
from his work one evening was seized
with an unconquerablc desire to run.
He rushed upon the quay which goes
from the Louvre TO the Greve, over
coming every obstacle. Many at
tempts were made to stop him,
hut without success, and he con-
tinued running, irresistibly i'm
PEELED, and yet desiring to stop,
until he engaged one arm in a wheel
of carriage. Thus retained, he re-
covered his breath and walked away AS
If nothing had happened. He was fire.
qnently seized with this propensity to
run. and was at length confined in the
hospital, when it was discovered that
he had disease of the spinal marrow.
One day man rushed down to the
parapet of the Pont Ncuf and threw
himself off into the Seine. Some of the
bystanders saw him and dragged him
out, On being questioned MS to his
motive for acting in so strange man.
ner he replied: II can not give any ac-
count; am in the happiest situation in
the world; have never been ill; have
no present troubles; nor. to my knowl-
edge. approaching ones. l can only
recollect my arrival on the Pont Neui
and being dragged out of the water "
A man, apparently in perfect health,
was attacked with sudden disposition
to destroy. He took up stick, and
without discrimination, broke every
thing that presented itself before him
After a short time he Gained down and
appeared to be restored to himself lie
! knew nothing of what he had done
and became much irrtated when shown
the remnants of the shattered articles
He was again seized with the sam,
frenzy and committed murder.
A woman, who became afterward al
inmate of II hospital, had propensit,
to hack herself all over with any sharl
instrument she could lay her hands on
1t was not her purpose to kill herself
only she said she experienced fasci
mating pleasure whenever she succeeded
in drawing blood.
A lady going out to the East Indie
was often heard to express wish l.
experience the sensation of drowning
One morning, after gazing for som
time into the water, she did actual
jump overheard. Luckily for her, tn
vessel was lying becalmed, and n dozc
willing men jumped in to save her.
The case is recorded by Tissot of
young woman in whom the imtativ
faculty was so strongly developed tina
she could not avoid doing every thin
she saw others do. Babanis has a
account of man similarly disposed
and who experienced insupportabl
suffering" if prevented from yieldin
to the impulse.
: A woman. who had an irresistibl
propensity to destroy, going into
room once while tea was being pr,
pared. could not resist the temptatio
: to sweep the contents of the table o
t the floor. -- Chicago NeWs.
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